in most cases, the volume of purchases from SMEs did not change

Despite expectations that small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) will promptly replace large companies with departed suppliers, in most cases, the volume of purchases from SMEs has not changed, the RSPP survey showed. Big business rarely noted the greater freedom of small suppliers in foreign trade, although it seemed that they would be able to quickly arrange supplies under the sanctions.

Most notably, large businesses increased their purchases of works and services from SMEs: their growth was reported by 35% of respondents, raw materials – by 32%, components and assemblies – by 28.5%. Less often, large companies increased purchases from SMEs of IT products and software – 25%, equipment and finished products – 22% each, technologies and developments – 20%. This is explained by the fact that SMEs in most cases effectively replaced foreign companies that left the market in terms of work and services – only 15% and 17.5% of companies, respectively, failed to do so. Worst of all, the situation is with the supply of equipment (42%), software and IT (44%), technologies and developments (50%).

The advantages of working with small and medium-sized businesses are more often called high efficiency (47%), readiness to adapt to the needs of customers and produce small batches of products (47%), openness to the wishes of the customer regarding the characteristics of products and services (45%) and adaptability to amplification sanctions (39%). According to 45% of representatives of large businesses, in the changed economic conditions, there were no new problems in interaction with SMEs. Among those who noted deterioration, almost 70% report the inability of SMEs to meet the terms of contracts – they unilaterally declare an increase in prices for products and services. Customers often complain that SMEs do not meet the delivery schedule (44%), cannot increase production volumes (28%), and cannot maintain stable quality (25%).

Small companies note an increase in demand for their products and services from large ones (46%) and the willingness of customers to meet halfway (43%). While half of the SMEs did not notice a change in their interactions with large customers, the rest complained about delays in payment (79%), delays in payments or red tape (43%), and terminations of supply agreements (29%).

Diana Galieva